60 Members of Regional Victim Charities Back in the Class Room

Sixty members of regional Independent Sexual/Domestic Violence Agencies (ISVA/IDVA) were back in the class room for one day on July 6, 2011. During a networking event, they received training in the use of a document sharing web site, in the School of Computer Science's computer lab 'The Mill'.

In collaboration with the Northumbria Local Criminal Justice Board, the School of Computing Science has developed a Google site that allows charities in the North-East to share information. Motivated by observed funding shortages, the LCJB came to the School of Computing Science to investigate if online methods could supplement face-to-face meeting. As a result, John Mace, PhD student in the Centre for Cybercrime and Computer Security, created a Google site for the charities.

Sixty staff members from more than 30 regional charities were present at the event. In the morning they received training in the use of the web site. Under the watchful eye of volunteering students that were available to answer questions, they were guided through the basic steps necessary to make use of the site. The students in action: John Mace, Martin Emms, James Turland, Yusnaidi Yusof, Matthew Forshaw, Khaled Alekeish, Su-Yang Yu and Chandrika Bhardwaj.

A lunch show-and-tell session featured among others PhD student Martin Emms' work on removing the digital footprints a victim may leave behind when searching for help on-line. In the afternoon, the attendees were treated to four thought-provoking presentations by IDVA/ISVA workers.

Emma Moir from the Local Criminal Justice Board organised the networking event. She said: "It was fantastic to see the quality and variety of the presentations but also the 'buzz' and enthusiasm from the delegates in return. The launch of the website has been a huge success."

The event was organised by Centre for Cybercrime and Computer Security and Social Inclusion through the Digital Economy, in collaboration with Northumbria Local Criminal Justice Board.